Tomatoes....

One of my favorite summer views:


There's something about seeing homegrown tomatoes ripening on the windowsill that puts me in a good mood. Yes, I'm one of those people who pick their tomatoes at the first blush of ripening and let them finish inside. Several years ago, I picked all the tomatoes off before frost and let them do just this....no taste difference that I could tell! Since then, I've been bringing them in and beating the birds and most of the insects who might do them harm. Works for me!

I've learned some things, as I do every year, as well as wanting to make some notes for next year, so I'm going to do a little midseason review.

The birds have enjoyed the tomato stakes and are convinced I placed them for their use. This was the first year that I've seen so much bird...refuse...on my plants. Also, when they take off, it looks like they almost kick off and set the stakes moving. Interesting, but not particularly helpful...as getting the stakes in the first time was hard enough!

Champion:


Has, so far, performed like a champion. Lots of fruit and no problems.

Old Thyme Tasty...and, unfortunately, Pink Beefsteak:


This would be a good What Not To Do. For the second time, Old Thyme Tasty has pulled over and broken its stakes. Sadly, it took Pink Beefsteak with it....helped, I think, by my (not) brilliant idea of tying part of Old Thyme Tasty to Pink Beefsteak. Not one of my better moments. OTT has been, to this point, a good producer but I will have to rethink how I want to grow it, if I do so next year. It's clearly a heavy vine. Part of that may be due to heavy fruiting as it got higher. I read recently (in a book I just might purchase and review) a suggestion to cut off the growing point. That might keep it from getting quite so tall, but then I'll have to think of a way to corral all of its branches. This is probably OTT's last day as I think I will just take it out and try to save Pink Beefsteak. I have this thing for pink tomatoes, sorry. And, there is just one remaining salvageable stake among them.

German Johnson:


Looking good and anticipating some jumbo tomatoes. I do like them big.

Missouri Love Apple is also loaded pretty well and so gets a favorable rating to this point.

Sungold:


Always a favorite and as far as I'm concerned, the only cherry tomato to grow. Now, if I could just hold off eating them until they are completely orange...what a treat, so sweet. One produces enough to munch off of every day.

Eva's Purple Ball is a disappointment to date. And doesn't look to improve. Yes, it survived having its leader chopped off and how does it reward me, you ask?? With small fruit (worthless size, in my opinion...too big to be a cherry and way too small to be a slicer...what is the point??) that is not purple, not pink just basic tomato red/orange. Blah.

Pink Caspian is a yearly favorite. It got a late start after being tortured in the pot ghetto, but is trying hard to rebound. I would plant it again (of course!) but try to treat it better.

Hillbilly is also a disappointment. Wouldn't bother again. Early torture aside, it just isn't cutting it and my space is precious (and my appetite for tomatoes even larger).

Worse yet is this one called Pink Girl. Just forget about it. Space waster also.

Funny, I visited someone' garden in July who calls these rogue tomatoes (I mean to blog about her garden...someday) which amused me. I've always called them compost tomatoes because that (other than in a few areas where I get reseeding) is where they come from...for me. This year's compost tomatoes are...so far...most impressive. Impressive because they spring from seed to blooming plants the fastest of any tomatoes I have ever seen. I am still pulling out plants because they just won't have enough time and also because there isn't room (despite what they obviously think) for them to grow where they have chosen. Three have made the grade, so far, to save. Really, it was because by the time I made the effort to pull them out, these had nice fruit and I didn't have the heart. I have no idea what they are, but look how white (vs the usual green) the fruit is:


They're pretty good size, too. (Hear that, Eva's Purple Ball??) Well, that's all for today's tomato round up. Except for a brief pepper mention. What's with my bell peppers?? They seem to think their job is done when they have produced one (ONE!) pepper! Not so the Jalapenos (bless them)...although one (of the two I have) is covered by the fallen OTT and PB....rescue is on the way.

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Did you notice my header?? I'm so proud! My daughter did that for me! That's a picture I took of some of my daffodils and she played around with it...and there you see the result! I couldn't be happier...isn't she something!